As a tennis player I've been following the drama with Novak Djokovic trying to play in the 2022 Australian Open while not being vaccinated from COVID. Ultimately, his visa was rejected and he was deported from Australia. The article linked above explains how Djokovic and his team tried to justify letting him play in the Open without being vaccinated. (I don't know if you need to subscribe to Willis's Substack to read it.)
I agree with this statement in the linked article: "I’ve been amazed over the last week or so watching how simple, or black and white, many people (journalists, fans, players et al) seem to think this saga is. Good vs evil." I call it the plague of either-or thinking. While I question whether the approach Australia has taken in dealing with the pandemic has been effective, I also have little sympathy for anyone who tries to enter the country knowing the stand the Australian government has taken.
It also doesn't help that people either love or hate Djokovic so it's easy for them to use him to reinforce their previous conclusions about the pandemic. To those who question the safety of the vaccines and/or whether the government has the right to mandate to get the vaccine, to wear masks or to self-isolate, Novak is a hero. To those who believe the government does have the right to mandate getting the "jab," require masks in public, and shut down restaurants, bars and other businesses, Novak is seen as an "anti-vaxxer" who puts his preferences before public safety. I'm not a mind reader so I can't say what Novak's motivation was but I'm sure some people think he was trying to "game the system."
To me Novak had three choices: 1. get the vaccinations needed to enter, 2. submit valid paperwork to justify why you can't get a vaccine, or 3. don't go.
Djokovic has a lot at stake given that the Australian Open is one of the four major tennis tournaments that count toward a “Grand Slam.” Djokovic has 20 Grand Slam titles, tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. If Djokovic had won the Australian Open he would have had the most Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis history. His choice on he handled this situation threatens his quest to have the most slams. Instead, Nadal could end up with this honor. (Federer won’t be playing due to an injury.) Considering what is at stake I question the wisdom of Djokovic’s decision. I wonder if he does too.
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